


First day of high school

by Isabeauu



Series: Happy family [2]
Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), Sauli Koskinen RPF
Genre: High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-06-02
Packaged: 2017-12-13 18:56:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isabeauu/pseuds/Isabeauu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lauren faces her first day in high school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First day of high school

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't resist. The thought of Adam and Sauli having a daughter was just too cute. I had to write this.

“Nervous?”

As I stare at the building in front of me, I nod. “What if they don’t like me?”

“You’ll change schools, because there’s no way I’m letting you hang out with people that stupid.” I laugh at Adam’s comment. I take a deep breath and turn around to look at Adam and Sauli. “It’s going to be great, don’t worry, honey.”

Another deep breath and Sauli and Adam both kiss my forehead after I’ve said that I’m ready. Normal teenagers would probably be embarrassed to have their parents kiss them goodbye like this in front of the school where everyone can see. Hell, most teenagers probably would be embarrassed by just having their parents stand next to them. I’m happy to say that I’m not like most teenagers. Not only have I been through more, I now also live in an, for America, ‘unusual’ household. I value things like things more than anyone can imagine, which is one of the reasons why I’m so scared right now. It’s not school, I like school. Living with my mother, who never really cared whether I went to school or not, I just didn’t go. It was heaven on earth the first couple of months. But when I started to get bored and wanted to go back, I couldn’t because I was too far behind.

I’m still behind. I’m a year older than anyone else that will be in my class, but that’s okay. At least I have the opportunity to go to school again. Adam and Sauli have done everything in the years I’ve lived with them to catch up so hopefully I could go to high school at the normal age. But with me getting over my mother’s death and the many different foster homes that left scars on my heart to deal with, it didn’t work out.

I’d been disappointed, but never Adam and Sauli. Every time my private teacher for a subject I struggled with left the house, we talked about what I’d learned and how things were going. Every time, the conversation ended with them telling me how proud they were of me.

“You have fun today, honey. Sauli’s picking you up after school, okay?” I nod and return the kiss they each just gave me.

“Bye”, I smile and turn around to walk into the big building. When I look back, I can see Adam and Sauli still standing there, proud smiles on their faces. A last wave before I walk inside, where not that many people were just yet.

We decided to come a little earlier, so I could find the classroom I had to be in first without having to rush. I have plenty of time left to take out my little map they gave me a week ago and figure it all out. Since we have some sort of introduction today, we have to gather in the theatre room, since that’s where most of the space is to seat all the new students. It’s not that hard to find, and I find it unlocked, with teachers walking in and out to make sure everything’s in order to welcome all the students. Throughout the hallway, teenagers are waiting. Some are talking to each other, others are sitting on the ground alone until the doors open for us.

I set myself on a windowsill and watch the others subtly. I’m too shy to talk to anyone, which is something I hope to get over someday today. I don’t want to spend my time in high school without friends, and I know today is the best day to get to know some people.

It happens though. Before the introduction even started. Some girl set herself next to me, smiling shyly at first, but then introduced herself. Nothing spectacular like you see in the movies, but it’s something. Katy, as she introduces herself, and I talk about the classes we’re in, and find out that we’re both in the somewhat artistic courses. We both take music and drama classes, but where I also chose for drawing classes, she chose for the languages instead. More focused on English now, but eventually they’ll pick up Spanish, which she is looking forward to a lot. I can see the joy on her face when she talks about how she really wants to learn Spanish, but isn’t really one for teaching herself. I don’t talk to her about how I’m in evening classes to learn Finnish. Because, come on, how many people would learn Finnish without having a real passionate reason? No one. I can’t tell her that one of my adoptive fathers is Finnish and I want to learn because it’s the only way to be able to speak to a big part of his family. Or, technically, I could. But I’m afraid she’ll link one to another too quick. Not that I’m ashamed of who my parents are. I just hope I can make some friends being me, instead of Adam Lambert and Sauli Koskinen’s kid. I’ll tell them eventually.

Twenty minutes fly by and so does the introduction, which basically is a summary of every main subject. Teachers explain why they are oh so happy to see that many new faces and that they’ll do everything to turn us into responsible people with a great future ahead. It includes a school psychologist for whenever you feel like you need someone to talk to. When they start talking about having problems at home that influence your school results, she hits a little too close to home. it’s like a smack in the face. A soft smack, but a smack nonetheless.

Memories take over my thoughts. My mom passed out on the couch, the empty bottle of wine in her hand and empty beer bottles all over the table. I was eight, but I had to pick them all up and clean the table from any spilled alcohol. I had to wake up my mother, help her clean up so she could at least make me some eggs for dinner. It was surviving with as little as possible until the day they took me away. But even then I wasn’t happy.

“Lauren?” Katy gets me out of my head. “We have to go to the music room for our next introduction. It’s in smaller groups now.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“That’s okay. It was boring, I don’t blame you. I’m surprised _I_ didn’t lose attention to what they were saying.” We share a laugh while standing up and following the teacher to the music room. He starts about how happy he is to see that many teenagers are still interested in music enough to pick it as a subject. Lame, if you ask me, because looking around, half of the people are probably here because it was the easiest choice. Having to choose between sports, arts or sciences, the choice is easily made for many people in this room. But then I can also see how so many people are passionate about music, and looking at them I feel kind of sad that I don’t share the same absolute passion. It’s in the top three of my favorite time passing, but not in the way that my entire life revolves around it, like it does for Adam.

“My name is mister Weatherly and this will be our class for this school year. We’ll divide the group into smaller groups most of the time, but sometimes we’ll work as a complete group. As you all know from the open schools day a couple of months ago, we have a mini concert at the end of the school year. All parents are invited, of course. We’ll be working to that for most of the year, but especially after the Christmas break.” He sits himself down on one of the empty chairs in the circle they form and continues. “We have about an hour left to get to know a bit more of all of you, so let’s get started. Anyone wants to start? Tell us about yourself and why you chose for this class and what other subjects are that you really look forward to. Anything you’d like to share, go for it!”

Despite of mister Weatherly’s enthusiasm, no one speaks up, so he tells us to just follow the row and points at the girl sitting on his left. “I’m sorry, but seems like you’ll have to start then.” The girl, Emily, starts about her classes, which include more of the sports in this school, while Mr. Weatherly writes down her name on his list. I listen with interest, trying to remember at least their names for now. There are a lot of people who look like they could be so much fun to hang out with.

Before I know, the person on my right is done and it’s my turn.

“Hi. Uh, my name is Lauren.” And now it comes. The moment of truth. I hope no one knows. “Lauren Koskinen.” Automatically, I wait, because I know the question will come any time.

And it does, of course. “You’ll have to spell that out for me. I’m bad with American surnames already, and I’m pretty sure that’s not one of them.”

“It’s Finnish”, I say and spell it out for him.

“Finnish, huh. So you’re Finnish.”

“Not really. I’m adopted.” No shame telling that. It’s not like I’m going to keep quiet I was adopted. I just don’t want to scream out who exactly adopted me.

Seems like I don’t have to. “I knew it! You’re the daughter of Adam Lambert, right?” It’s a girl that’s sitting across the circle who asks the question. All eyes turn on me.

“Uh.” I don’t want this sort of attention. I want to fit in, not stand out. That’s the reason why I insisted on going to a regular high school instead of the private one Adam proposed. We did go there on their open schools day, but all the rich parents, many of whom were celebrities of some kind themselves, made me want to throw up. Of course not all of them, but I’d say about 60% of the people I saw there that day, I knew I wanted nothing to do with. Ever. “Yes. I am.”

The girl makes a little noise that she probably wishes she hadn’t made. She blushes and tries to save herself. “I’ve seen you in magazines before.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, it was this big thing apparently.” I’m used to people asking me about my parents already. I’m shy, but I know how to humor this subject. It’s the one subject where I know what to say, since most of the times, the same questions are asked anyway. It’s like I’m programmed. If they want to talk about my famous parents, they can go ahead. I like sharing things that are in public already anyway more than private aspects of my life that they could easily spread around. I’m not saying that they’ll call the press, I’m not that paranoid, but I don’t want things to spread throughout the school either.

“So your father’s a musician”, the teacher interferes, probably sensing my little discomfort of the subject. “Did that influence your choice for this class?”

“Partly. He doesn’t play any instruments, but obviously his band does, and they’ve shown me some things. It’s not a big passion I have, but it’s interesting. I’d like to learn how to play at least one instrument.”

“Any idea which one?”

“Piano, probably. I like the sound of it. We do have a piano at home, but right now it’s more for decoration purposes than anything else”, I laugh.

With the conversation going to my father, I forget to tell about my other classes, so Mr. Weatherly asks about it.

“I have drama and drawing classes. And then the general subjects. Math, English, that sort of stuff.”

“Great. Any questions left for Lauren?” No one even dares to open their mouth, which is something I’m quite happy about. Katy is next and I listen closely, trying to remember everything she says, since she’s probably the one I’m going to spend most of my time with today and the next couple of days. At least, I hope so. She seems like an amazing girl so far.

When the class ends it’s time for lunch. There’s a broad choice but I am able to pick out something that doesn’t look too bad, yet healthy. It’s Sauli’s influence. He’s like a health freak out there, but I’ve never complained. Healthy food is better anyway, but I occasionally enjoy a McChicken just like everyone else.

Looking around the big lunch room, and thinking back of all the other modern class rooms we’ve been in so far, I realize this school maybe isn’t the regular high school I was claiming it to be. It’s a modern, kind of fancy school. iMacs in the computer room, lots of food to choose from at lunchtime, a beautiful theatre and music room, baseball and football field.

But hey, education is important and I’m here for six years. Adam and Sauli let _me_ pick the school I wanted to go to. Not once did they complain about all the schools we visited. We even went to some in Burbank. Not that it’s too far away, but then we also visited this one in Santa Monica. It’s a half an hour drive, and Sauli and Adam insisted on bringing and taking me from school as much as possible. Only if they really couldn’t make it, I’d have to take the bus. Or they’d send Leila or even Tommy to come pick me up.

Eventually I picked this school in Central Los Angeles. Because it was the best in my eyes. The theatre group I was really looking forward to being the main factor in my choice. But also their policies and assistance towards students seemed amazing. And having my emotional baggage in the back of my mind, a good guidance was very important, both to Adam and Sauli as to me.

I sit down at a table in the outside space of the lunch room with Katy. “So, what music do you listen to?” I ask her, because it’s an easy subject to just start talking and then see where it ends.

“So many things. Whatever is on the radio, I guess.” I nod understandingly.

“Same for me. Although I listen to lots of older music as well. Especially Queen, but that’s mostly because Adam kind of left me without a choice. It’s hard not to start liking it when it’s all you hear at some points.” She laughs, but I notice how she wants to ask me something but doesn’t dare to. So it’s probably about Adam. So I point out to her that she can ask things about my parents.

“You can ask about it, you know”, I smile. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to be like everyone else, you know?” She nods. “So… want to start again?”

“Sure. Uh. I just – what’s it like? You know, to have a famous father.”

“The thing is, I never really realized until I was thirteen. I mean, sure I knew about it. They told me about it, I tagged along to little performances he had during the summer. But I was almost fourteen when I got in contact with paparazzi for the first time. Before that, everyone did a great job in shielding me from it all. Whenever I went somewhere, I was at Sauli’s side instead of Adam’s. They never really follow him. Not in great numbers. But then I went to this concert of a local band with Adam, and somehow they picked up on it. There were probably about ten cameras shoved into our faces. It was so weird, and I was kind of scared. Adam’s friend was there with us so she sat in the back with me instead of taking the passenger seat in the front. I feel stupid now thinking back of it, but I was so shocked at the time.”

“It’s not stupid. I can’t imagine what it’s like.”

“But Adam’s not Paris Hilton, or Beyoncé or damn Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He’s not followed all the time. He can go out plenty without being photographed.”

“That’s cool.”

“Yeah. It is.” Silence for a moment. Not awkward silence, though. We’re just eating and looking at the people around us. “So, you didn’t know?”

“I had no idea. I mean, I’ve heard of Adam Lambert before, and I probably have some of his songs on my iPod, but not really a fan, no. Not in the let-me-go-find-out-everything-about-his-private-life kind of way.”

I laugh. “That’s cool. I like that not everyone knows. I’m not saying they’ll only want to be friends with me for my parents, but I’m pretty sure there are people out there who will try.”

“Probably. Anyway, I don’t think I know any songs of Queen.”

“You should definitely look some up.”

“What’s your favorite?”

“Probably _Fat bottomed girls_. I just like the rhythm of it and the music.”

“I’ll have to look that up.”

“I have them on my iPod if you want to hear some.”

“Oh. That’d be even better.”

I get my iPod out of my bag and plug in the ears, giving her one of them. Soon, the melodies of Queen and Freddie’s voice is filling our ear. She seems to like the songs, and tells me she’ll definitely look for them on iTunes tonight.

With thirty minutes left on lunch break we decide to go sit in the sun somewhere to listen music. We find a place that’s not crowded (which are most of the places anyway since this school is so big and students are everywhere) and sit down on the grass. Our faces in the sun and sunglasses high on our noses. Now and then we talk about a beautiful part in the song or something it reminds us of.

“Hey, you’re Lauren, right?” I look up in the face of a girl I faintly recognize from music class. I nod. “I’m Jade. I uh, I heard you talk about wanting to learn the piano and I, uh. I want to learn the piano too.” I smile up at her and take out my little ear plug whatever they’re called.

“Really? Do you play already, or…?” Looking around, it seems like she’s just trying to get to know new people as well. I’m not paranoid, but I’m safe either way. I’ve had people coming to me, desperately wanting to be my friend with only one mission; getting near Adam or Sauli. You can easily recognize them, and I’m pretty sure Jade’s not one of them. Also, I appreciate her first sentence to me not being: “You’re Lauren Koskinen, right? Adam Lambert’s daughter?”

Until a couple of months ago, I thought no one would ever start a conversation like that. Until someone did. She was sweet about it, though, but it annoyed me how I only got noticed for that.

“I started in the beginning of the summer. My older sister bought a piano. Not anything fancy, but it sounds good, and I started learning out things. She already taught me some things, but then she got busy with summer classes and stuff so I got stuck a bit.”

“Oh. Well, that’s more than I did already, though. I had a friend once show me how to play an easy song but I forgot it the day after so I wouldn’t call it a success.” Both Katy and Jade laugh at my comment.

“Can I – uh, sit down?”

She looks so nervous I don’t know whether I should feel sorry or happy that I’ve seemed to make another friend. Even though technically, they’ve made friends and not me. They’re the ones who came up to me.

“Sure! We have about twenty minutes left of lunch break”, Katy says and then introduces herself. Jade seems to relax quite quickly, and before we know we have to get up to be in time for our next and last introduction class. The bell hasn’t rang yet, but since we’re not familiar with the school building yet, we want to make sure we’re there in time. We have ten minutes left to get lost all we want. Which, of course, we do.

“I don’t think this is it”, Jade laughs when we enter the sports hall instead of the classroom we’re trying to find. Eventually we have to ask someone, who, thank God, is friendly about it and helps us with a smile on her face.

Eventually we find it, two minutes before it starts. Most of the students are inside already, so we sit somewhere towards the front of the classroom. Not that it really matters, because this class is basically another _“Hello, welcome and thank you for choosing our school. We hope you’ve made some friends already and you have fun this year”._

Let’s just say I’m happy for it to be over. Jade, Katy and I leave the classroom after having packed up everything. On our way out we receive a list of subjects, each with their own books mentioned on them. We have to turn it in tomorrow, filling the circle in front of the books we need and then we’ll be able to pick them up by the end of the week.

“Are you also in drama class, Jade?”

“Drama and drawing, yes.”

“Awesome! So am I”, I cheer and smile happily. “But that means Katy will be alone for most of the other classes, which sucks.” Katy smiles a little sadly. “But we’ll have breaks together and stuff, and I’m sure you’ll meet awesome people in your other classes. It’s only been a day.”

“Exactly”, Jade says. “Hey, you guys want to go grab some ice cream or something? It’s so hot today!” Just when she says the words, we walk out of the building into the heat. Damn, it is really warm, especially now. The sun is high in the sky and no clouds are even close to putting some shade on this part of the earth.

“Sure! I need some refreshment”, Katy says while picking out her phone to text whoever that she’s going to be a bit later. Me, on the other hand, can spot Sauli across the street easily and I kind of want to ask him to come back in half an hour so I can go with them. But he came here to pick me up when I could easily take the bus, so I’d feel kind of bad to ask that from him.

“I’m sorry but”, I point across the street. “Sauli is waiting for me.”

He smiles when he sees us look at him and waves at Katy and Jade. They both raise their hand in greeting and smile. “That’s your father?”

No. My father’s dead. “Yeah. One of them, at least.”

“How is it to have two fathers?” Jade turns all shades of red within a second and shakes her head. “Forget I asked that, oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“What? Stop it”, I laugh. “It’s okay to ask. Don’t be sorry, please.” She can look at me again, but the blush is still right there. “Having two fathers isn’t all that different from having a mother and a father. I’ve had the mom and dad household. There’s no difference, if you ask me. Adam and Sauli love me, and that’s all I really asked for. Plus, I was kind of relieved. I didn’t want anyone to replace my mother.”

It’s weird to talk about this to them already, especially in front of our school with Sauli across the street. But although I thought it would be difficult to share personal things, it really isn’t with Katy and Jade. Not to sound cliché there, but it’s easier than I thought.

“So having two fathers is amazing. I guess it is because they have to really fight to even get to the point of adoption. They struggle through social workers and court and adoption groups that they love the child they adopt eventually unconditionally. There’s this happiness they have that you’re finally there in their family to be loved, that is so special and unique. I can’t really explain.”

We share some silence before I look back at Sauli, who’s still waiting patiently across the street. “Have fun at the ice salon. I’m sorry I can’t come with you, but I really don’t want to leave him waiting there, even though I’m sure he would.” They laugh.

“He sounds like an amazing father.”

“They both are. Maybe we can go for ice cream tomorrow? I can ask him to pick me up later. Or I could take the bus home or something.”

“Cool! We’ll see you tomorrow, then. Bye!”

I wait until they walk away and then cross the street. Sauli kisses my forehead again before starting in the direction of where the car is parked.

“Hey sweetie, how was school?”

“Good. I made some friends!”

“I saw that. See you had nothing to be nervous about.”

“They came up to me, though. I’m such a chicken.” Sauli laughs. “But they’re cool. There was this girl in the music class that asked in front of everyone whether I was Adam Lambert’s daughter, but Katy and Jade were both great about it.”

“So, how many secrets were spilled?” Sauli’s joking, I know. They both trust me enough to not tell me what I can tell people and what not. I know the boundaries very well.

“Not that many, I promise.” We both laugh while getting in the car and head home.

“Adam will probably be home by the time we get there. He wants to go out for dinner tonight, just warning you. He’s one proud daddy.” Again, I laugh.

“I think I can handle a proud daddy.”

“Can you handle two? Because there are two proud daddies, you know?”

“I know, thank you.”

“You’re welcome sweetie.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I pretty much wrote this in two hours or less, so bare with me ;)


End file.
